• @[email protected]
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      888 months ago

      Is it illegal? Absolutely.

      Do the cops do anything about it? Absolutely not.

      Meanwhile I’m getting blinded by lifted trucks with overhead lights and a LED light bars on the grills

      • @[email protected]
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        8 months ago

        I drive a small car, I absolutely hate it when pavement princesses come up from behind and blind me. In general I want to give the cops as little reason to issue tickets as possible. Retroreflectors are why we can see signs from a distance when it’s pitch black, so it’s a good option that doesn’t technically break any laws even if the law is basically completely unenforced

      • @[email protected]
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        8 months ago

        Yeah cops don’t even pull people over with unaimed blue HIDs in halogen housings even though they can be spotted from miles away. The dispatcher also just wouldn’t believe you if you reported someone for having a James Bond gadget on their car.

      • @[email protected]
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        118 months ago

        Can confirm. Inspired by this comic, I installed such a light bar in my car. Of course the very first tailgater I used it on so happened to be a cop. He just laughed when I explained why I did what I did, and then told me to never use it again. That was it. No ticket, didn’t force me to disable it in front of him. I just promised him “never again” and was sent on my way.

    • MxM111
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      88 months ago

      The plates use retro-reflectors. Does not help much.

      You see, if you have good/accurate retro-reflector, it reflects back to the light source. You need scattered reflector, but then, it is not as bright as to make incontinence for whoever uses high beams.

      • @[email protected]
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        258 months ago

        as to make incontinence for whoever

        Jesus that light must be bright if it makes people pee themselves

        • @willyaOPA
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          8 months ago

          Whole town rocking Depends.

        • MxM111
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          38 months ago

          So do I. Will not work - it will not be brighter than plates - just larger.

      • @[email protected]
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        38 months ago

        Plate isn’t very big. Cover the entire back of the car with reflectors, and it will be bright enough to get them to drop their high beams.

        • MxM111
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          18 months ago

          It would be the size of smallish traffic sign. (They have reflective paint too). Still nothing special. I think it is better to install slightly convex mirror so that it directs the light into the offending driver eyes.

    • @[email protected]
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      88 months ago

      I know a few people with aftermarket reverse lights. Not all of them have a hidden override switch which turns them on when they aren’t in reverse…

    • @[email protected]
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      18 months ago

      That wouldn’t focus the beam back in the manner intended. Mirror pointed in the right direction would

  • @[email protected]
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    598 months ago

    Honestly I just want a display in the back that has a few preset messages set to a button in the front. Stuff like “Please give me more space” or “Your headlights are too bright”.

    Barring that, would love a mirror that redirects headlights back to the driver’s face. If I can deal with it, you can deal with it too.

    • @[email protected]
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      8 months ago

      I have this, you can buy a programmable LED sign off Amazon for a chunk of change ($150 for a decent sized one that’s bright enough for daylight use), stick it in your rear window, and then make your own custom messages to display. My favorite is “Move over” after passing someone on the right I’ve been stuck behind in the left lane for the past two miles.

        • @[email protected]
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          18 months ago

          Happens all the time. Difference is, you‘re on lemmy and being honest. Try working at a startup where every idea is a mAjOr nEw iNvEnTiOn. ;)

          • @[email protected]
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            38 months ago

            I thought the idea of brake lights becoming “larger” or “brighter” (like a bullseye design) depending on how hard you pressed the brake, was an ingenious idea of mine…

            Nope. It’s apparently been thought of plenty. Don’t know why it isn’t implemented though

            • @[email protected]
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              18 months ago

              I had that idea as well! Funny.

              That‘s actually a good question. Probably has been tested and didn’t work properly.

    • @[email protected]
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      68 months ago

      I want one of those, too. Ironically, I think I’d be using the “it’s dark; turn on your headlights” preset more often than the “your headlights are too bright” one. (I blame daytime running lights: drivers see the ground lit up in front of them and don’t realize they still have to turn the headlight switch in order for their taillights to come on too.)

      • @[email protected]
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        98 months ago

        I blame dashboards that are backlit when the headlights are off. On my 07 corolla I KNOW I when I forget my lights, because my dash is a black void.

        • @[email protected]
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          18 months ago

          I kinda forgot about that feature. Now I’m wondering if my 2015 Accord does the same, but I normally have the headlights on “auto” anyway (unless it’s raining or something). I know my 2002 Hyundai did though

  • @[email protected]
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    538 months ago

    A Mercedes-Benz chassis code W202 (90s C class, other E and S likely work too) can do this with minimal modification, only needing the lights to activate when near vertical (or just reflectors, no mod required). The car has no check for if the car is in motion or at what speed when the trunk is popped open via the center console. This also lifts up the license plate, obscuring it from view. You can travel about 45mph (72kph) before the wind resistance starts to push the trunk down. The springs are strong so unknown how fast you’d need to go before it was ineffective for this purpose/target car, or to attempt an ‘auto close’.

    Do what you will with this information.

  • @[email protected]
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    248 months ago

    Some truckers have this. Years ago I hit a deer with my Buick regal. The only thing wrong was the front right headlight was pointed upward. Picture the laziest eye you’ve ever seen… Before I got it fixed I must have pointed the thing right at a trucker’s mirror and he turned his 1500 jigawatt spotlight on me and moved into the center to block me from passing. I was leading ~10 cars up the passing lane at the time. I’m sorry for blinding you dude, but now everyone on the road is blind with no way to resolve it. I can’t get my headlight out of his mirror until I overtake. I guess he assumed I had my high beams on and was waiting for me to turn them off. Real 4d chess move…

    • @[email protected]
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      288 months ago

      with no way to resolve it.

      I mean, you could’ve jury-rigged the light to point in roughly the correct direction, disconnected it, or even just not driven at night until it could be repaired. You didn’t have to create that dangerous situation.

          • @[email protected]
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            38 months ago

            Huh, weird! My takeaway is: “Jury-rigged is the best choice when the makeshift nature of the effort is to be emphasized rather than a shoddiness that results” for anyone’s TLDR

        • @[email protected]
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          28 months ago

          Pretty sure it’s both, given that both uses are extremely common and that be how language works.

      • @[email protected]
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        -38 months ago

        Can’t do that while on the road, the trucker in this case was being a monumental asshat. That trucker is probably causing all kinds of fucked up dangerous situations at other times acting like that.

        • @[email protected]
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          128 months ago

          Well, yes, which is why the person pointed out how easy it was to solve before getting on the road.

          Like yes, the trucker is an asshole too, but they aren’t the one that created the circumstance to begin with. They contributed, absolutely. Still not responsible.

          • @[email protected]
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            8 months ago

            Having a light that’s off and slightly blinding one mirror on the person in front is no where near as bad as blocking two lanes and blinding 10 other cars behind you. The trucker is by far the larger asshole, and way more dangerous on the road, in all of this.

            • @[email protected]
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              38 months ago

              Again, not the point. Trucker being an asshole has no bearing on the idea that OP could have done more on their end.

              • @[email protected]
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                18 months ago

                The point making is, that the trucker is making a slightly annoying situation caused by a misaligned light, incredibly dangerous with his behavior.

                Driving with a misaligned light is a nuisance, but not inherently dangerous. Of course should still be fixed, it’s not OK. Blocking multiple lanes and deliberately turning on highly blinding spotlight on several cars behind you is fucking insane behavior and incredibly dangerous. His reaction is completely disproportionate and ahould be punished much more severely, the trucker clearly has road rage issues acting like that.

        • Cosmic Cleric
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          108 months ago

          Hate to put it to you, but the DMV demands, and the laws back that up, that you are responsible for your vehicle, and that it should be up to spec before it gets on the road.

          Fix it tickets are real.

        • @[email protected]
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          8 months ago

          He knew it was wrong before getting on the road. Also, he could’ve pulled over and fixed it on the shoulder.

    • @[email protected]
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      218 months ago

      Thats why I stopped using the fog light to fuck up high beamers. It’s just another fight you‘re waiting to get in. People will overtake and brakecheck you or do the same just to get back at you. A large portion of the polulation is literally braindead. I just step off the gas now and make them overtake since they think I‘m too dumb to find the gas pedal. Less hustle, faster solution.

      • @[email protected]
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        118 months ago

        A large portion of the polulation is literally braindead.

        Yup. Just joining a dating app revealed just how many trump supporters and Covid deniers are out there. Tonnes. And not even in America. Fucking scary.

        Side note: If you find smart people, do not let them go. FOMO will just get you alone and deny good shit from happening.

        • @[email protected]
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          58 months ago

          I‘m very glad I‘m married, partially due to this fact. The amount of insanity out there is shocking.

        • Cosmic Cleric
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          38 months ago

          Yup. Just joining a dating app revealed just how many trump supporters and Covid deniers are out there. Tonnes. And not even in America. Fucking scary.

          As someone who has never used a dating app, I have to ask, how do you find that information out?

          Is it listed in their profile, or do you have to spend time going on dates with them before you figure that out?

          • @[email protected]
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            08 months ago

            You could put on your profile even the most innocuous thing and people are going to be very super open about their opinions about it. You could put nothing other than ‘been vaccinated’ on your profile and you’ll know without even asking for their life experience.

      • @[email protected]
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        8 months ago

        I like to give people a thumbs-down👎when they do something dumb while driving; add a little frown and a slow head shake of disappointment

  • @[email protected]
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    easier to just install an LED marquee display in your back window that runs off of an arduino, and have pre-programmed messages that scroll like “turn your high beams off” or “put your phone down”. wire a couple push buttons to it and you can really get your point across on demand.

    • @[email protected]
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      38 months ago

      That doesn’t work for the 6 foot tall f150 blinding you with their low beams. Also, not as satisfying. Or deadly. A little collateral damage is just something we have to live with.

  • N3Cr0
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    78 months ago

    Rear fog light does its job in that case. There’s no need for the upgrade shown above.

        • Cosmic Cleric
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          18 months ago

          Doesn’t mean it’s legal to drive though. The vehicle has to be legally judged roadworthy where it’s being used, not where it was built.

          I would expect you would have to disable/remove those rear fog lights if the laws in the US say you’re not allowed to have them.

          • SymbioteSynapse
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            18 months ago

            Its legal to have and use them. Its not required for american cars to have them. That doesnt mean its illegal to have them.

            • Cosmic Cleric
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              18 months ago

              Its legal to have and use them. Its not required for american cars to have them. That doesnt mean its illegal to have them.

              While not always the case, car manufacturers usually won’t put things on a vehicle that aren’t legal to have in the state they’re selling the vehicle in, and the inverse of that is true as well, states that require items like (for example) catalytic converters on vehicles definitely have them on a car is sold in that state.

        • @[email protected]
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          18 months ago

          Yup my mini came with rear fog lights. I was amazed and confused of why we don’t have more of these in the US.

    • @[email protected]
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      18 months ago

      But on most cars the rear fog light is one (sometimes two) 21 watts incandescent bulb behind red plastic. Same as a single brake light. That’s not going to bother someone with blinding LED headlights.

  • @[email protected]
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    68 months ago

    Truly I was in the slow lane with nobody else on the road with 3 lanes, and this douche in a CRV felt the need to shine brights.

    • @[email protected]
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      68 months ago

      You’re assuming all the button does is pop the latch. Make it a self-opening trunk with pistons and it’d work fine.

    • @[email protected]
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      48 months ago

      Which is why I installed the light bar in my rear window instead.

      P.S. If you install one of these, it only has the desired effect 10% of the time. 90% of the time it will only make the asshole tailgate you even harder. A more effective solution is to trade in your vehicle for a sports car, and implement the “drop a gear and disappear” technique.

      • @[email protected]
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        38 months ago

        My thoughts exactly. It’s just not worth it. Either stomp the gas pedal or take your foot off entirely. That usually makes them overtake and piss off. Only retaliate if you‘re ready to see it through.

  • @[email protected]
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    8 months ago

    Looks like someone is in the overtaking lane without overtaking.

    Some people really need to learn how to drive.

    • @[email protected]
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      138 months ago

      Both cars are in the middle lane. The left lane is the passing lane. Do you know how to make a proper pass?

      • @[email protected]
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        48 months ago

        Every lane except the rightmost is the passing lane. You only need to be in the third lane over if you’re overtaking a car that is itself also overtaking a car.

      • @[email protected]
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        8 months ago

        Far right is the driving lane. Middle and left and both overtaking lanes.

        That’s why loads of countries with decent driving safety and laws have signs saying keep right unless overtaking and undertaking is illegal.

    • @willyaOPA
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      48 months ago

      The middle lane is the safest lane to stay in so long as you’re doing the speed limit. This is even taught in modern driving courses.